Posted on 08/16/2006 7:47:20 PM PDT by Teófilo
Because it wasn't raining??? It only takes a sprinkle :>)
If taken literally, that saying was broken by the early Christians VERY early on.
"And being let go, they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and ancients had said to them. Who having heard it, with one accord lifted up their voice to God, and said: Lord, thou art he that didst make heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. Who, by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, hast said: Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate vain things?" (Acts 4: 23-25)
The last recourse in such a case is to make an Act of Contrition, which is often put in these words. "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all of my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because they offended Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen."
But, what if, while in your sin, a bullet came out of nowhere, smacked you in the head, and you died instantly? You had no chance to do anything, what then? Heaven? Or Purgatory? Or Hell?
If I am in grave sin, I will go to Hell.
Then you are not counting on Jesus to save you, you are counting on your action (the prayer) to save you. Jesus paid for all your sins. I truely believe that you believe in Jesus. Jesus has paid for your sins that you did, that you are doing, and that you will do. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone, that saves. He did it by being that perfect sacrifice on the cross. If you say that it is Jesus plus whatever you do, then it wasn't a PERFECT sacrifice, it was an almost perfect, or nearly perfect, or close but no cigar sacrifice.
One cannot say that prayer truthfully unless they are given the grace of contrition. The Sacrifice of the Cross IS a perfect sacrifice. But as Our Lord Himself said, only those who persevere to the end shall be saved. Only God can give us that perseverance, but we can certainly as for it.
Jerome used the Siniaticus and Vaticanus manuscripts to write the Latin Vulgate...Those two sets of manuscripts came out of Egypt and disagree with each other in over 3000 places...
The bible I believe came out of Antioch, Syria thru what's known as the Majority Texts...Their numbers are far greater than Jerome's manuscripts and they agree with each other over 95% of the time...These manuscripts do not have the word 'father' in Acts 4: 23-25...
That's a Catholic addition...
Do me a favor, I have to go, but think on what I have written to you. Think about all that Jesus' sacrifice means, and pray to God the Father for insight. Let the Holy Spirit dwell with you.
Good discussion, without namecalling...(it can get so nasty here) Thank you.
LOL!
You've actually been a help, but in a way you wouldn't think of. God bless.
I realize what your church tells you but look at that verse very carefully...It is not speaking about the end of your life, or anyone's life for that matter...It is dealing with a period of time...And that period of time has nothing to do with you...
Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with a promise (Ephesian 6:2).
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? (James 2:21)
No. I can't tell who is not saved. I am not God. All I can affirm is that those accept Catholic teaching and live it, are.
-Theo
The basic point in my post is that, in the Protestant scheme, "biblical truth" is whatever the interpreter says it is. I know it is not a pallatable idea and I can see why you would find it shocking, uncomfortable, and challenging. The existence of thousands of Protestant sects prove my point.
It will remain so as long as you can't produce the chapter and verse where we can find a list of the closed biblical canon.
Scripture is holy because God says so, yes, but this only becomes meaningful when the Church proclaims it so. Without the Church's discernment and proclamation, there wouldn't be any "Scripture."
The Catholic Church as a human institution is not above criticism. But neither are her critics.
-Theo
That would be somewhat bad if "the Church" were a reality completely external to me, but it isn't. I am in the Church, I believe with her; it is not "I and the Church believe" but "we in the Church believe."
The Protestant retort is that I need *you*, "Iscool," to interpret it for me. Because the Protestant claim is not a general claim made about a teaching church, but one made about the single, teaching individual.
I suppose you are "cool," but I don't need your help to interpret the Bible and see the Bible "your way." Thank you anyway, though!
-Theo
You would have each man be a pope; nye, a prophet like Mohammed or Joseph Smith?
Fallible men like Martin Luther? Fact is that each Protestant church has a magister, and when a member decides to reject the infallibility of this magisterium , he seeks out another or becomes one himself. The only Reformer who really sought to reconstitute the catholic church on a proper footing was Calvin. But after the anti-pope of Geneva died, even his movement lost its center.
Protestants find no difficulty, however, in attending "Bible-believing" services where the pastor INTERPRETS passages of scripture as part of his sermon, and in fact tells the congregation that his interpretation is the correct one.
I would suggest that those who are concerned about the role of Mary and other aspects of the church enroll in an RCIA class at a large parish. Many of the questions would be answered, and there is no obligation to join the Church. We encourage this in my parish, so that people, even if they do not share our belief, can at least have the correct answer on what we do believe.
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